Sing It, Waffles!

WAFFLES:  Monday, Monday ♬ –

WAFFLES:  ♬ Bah-da  ♩♬♩bah-da-da-da –

KATIE:  Really? Is that the best you can do?

WAFFLES:  It's Monday, Boss. That's the only Monday song I know. 

KATIE:  Well at least I know I won't have to listen to this on Tuesday.

WAFFLES:  Tuesday? You mean –

 WAFFLES:  ♬ Tuesday... afternoon ♩♬♩

About Today's Photos

Waffles and Katie were busy power-lounging over the weekend. Ok, truth be told, that's pretty much what they're busy doing EVERY day. So Waffles' song photos are actually yawn photos.

But when he's not lounging, he's often talking and singing. Maybe it's something about orange kitties, we're not sure. Waffles is a super vocal kitty. Much more-so than Katie. Whether he's waking everyone up for breakfast, singing to the ceilings, or trilling for Glogirly at bedtime, he's got a huge vocabulary of special vocalizations he uses to draw attention to what he wants.

We've read that cats have evolved their vocalizations over time as a way of communicating with humans. And that they don't often use these vocalizations as a way of communicating with other cats.

Not Waffles. He's also very chatty with Katie. Katie has no time for Waffles' antics though, so these are usually one-way conversations.


Waffles' Song Trivia
Anyone care to guess the names of the original artists that performed Waffles' songs?

Act Natural - Waffles' Quickee Dental Update

WAFFLES:  Uh oh, how did I end up back here at the VET??? This can't be good. 

WAFFLES:  Something about checking my teeth again and making sure they're ok. The last time they did that, they STOLE some.

WAFFLES:  Ok, act natural. Maybe if I sit here really super still, no one will notice me. 

Nothing to see here. Just us cat statues. 

* moments later...*

WAFFLES:  Nope, not gonna do it. 

WAFFLES:  Not opening my mouth no matter how handsome you say I am. 

Waffles Dental Update

Waffles took another Jeep ride to the vet this week for a quick look-see to make sure he was healing properly from his recent dental procedure and extractions. 

Everything checked out 100% perfect. Of course, Waffles already knew that. 

That's Brittany, our super-sweet Vet Tech, checking out her orange crush, Waffles. One thing we love SO much about the staff at our clinic (Uniquely Cats of Boulder) is how they don't even hesitate to get right down to the same level as their cat clients. In fact, every time Katie or Waffles has been there for an exam, our vet and the techs sit right down on the floor with them. 

The exam rooms don't even look like exam rooms. They're peaceful, comfortable and not a stainless steel table to be found.

7 Tips to Kitty Bliss - De-Stress Your Pet Giveaway

WAFFLES:  Hey Boss, do I stress you out?

KATIE:  Only when we're in the same room, Waffles. 

WAFFLES:  How about in the same window sill? 

This post is sponsored by FELIWAY®

Our friends and readers who have been with us over the years are no strangers to Katie and Waffles' often complicated relationship. They've come a long way since way back in 2012 when a spirited orange kitten named Waffles moved into the family, much to Katie's chagrin, and started taking our blog by storm. 

We like to think we have a very peaceful and calm home. And for the most part, we do. But even still, stress is no stranger to us. We've heard from many of you who have experienced the same. Stress can sneak its way into your home in the most subtle of ways. It's not all sunshine, rainbows and catnip. Especially for cats. 

That includes Katie and Waffles. 

What some cat parents don't realize is that many unwanted behaviors can actually be a cat's natural reaction to stress. Things like fighting at food time or inappropriate scratching are just a couple examples of behaviors commonly linked to stress. Not knowing what to do about it makes it even more stressful for pets and their humans.

April is De-Stress Your Pet Month

We're helping our friends at FELIWAY®  share some very simple tips on how to create a peaceful and calm home for your and your cats. Our 7 Tips to Kitty Bliss can absolutely help to improve and maintain the well being and happiness of your furry family members in ways that are incredibly easy to incorporate into your daily lives.

7 Tips to Kitty Bliss 

1. Mitts Off My Dish!

If there's ever a time for stress to enter center stage, it's mealtime. At least that's how it is for us. Maintaining individual food and water locations can help reduce that mealtime animosity. Not only do Katie and Waffles have their own food dishes and watering stations, we make sure they can't see each other when eating. Their food dishes are positioned on opposite sides of the kitchen island so that neither of them feel the need to look over their shoulders.

2. Food, Glorious Food

It's truly remarkable what a game changer a good diet can be. As obligate carnivores, cats nutritional needs are not only very specific to their species, but crucial for them to thrive and survive. As we've transitioned Waffles and Katie to a protein rich diet, we've noticed they're so much more satisfied. In fact, they rarely beg for food or treats anymore. Eating a healthy and protein rich diet is something we believe contributes to their overall well being and longevity.

3. Serenity Now

Sometimes Katie and Waffles love to get away from it all. It's important for any cat to have a place they can retreat to where they feel comfortable and safe. We keep their cozy carriers in a large walk-in closet. It's quiet, private and given it's the warmest room in the hose, it's the perfect spot for napping, sleeping and safely hiding out when the plumber is here or houseguests have arrived.

Keeping their carriers open and accessible also helps to define them as more than just a means of transport to the vet. Katie and Waffles are so comfortable in theirs in fact, they sleep in them just about every night. 

4. He Must Work Out

By now Glogirly is thinking these tips aren't just appropriate for cats. Good food, her own dish, a comfy bed, and exercise. Let's hope she's paying attention!

We've lost count of how many times we've been told by vets and behaviorists that play is often the answer to any number of unwanted behaviors. Animosity between cats and destructive behavior can be curtailed quickly with just a little daily playtime. Tiring them out both physically and mentally is key. Play helps tap into their instinctual behaviors to hunt and stalk. Not only will this help to cut down on that unwanted behavior, it will also help to strengthen the human-cat bond. 

5. Puzzle Power

Cats, especially Waffles, aren't necessarily the best at multitasking. Food puzzles keep them busy and occupied. 

6. Chopin for Cats

Glogirly often has music playing throughout the house. She's found it to be a soothing alternative to the overabundance of news on TV. And whenever she leaves the house, she always puts on classical music for Katie and Waffles. The sound can make them feel less alone and can also mask scary sounds like planes, trains, and automobiles. 

7. Scratch, Scratch, Scratch

Cats need to scratch. It's instinctual. Most cat parents don't want this kind of instinctual attention paid to their sofas and chairs though. Scolding them for scratching the furniture and not providing an appropriate alternative can cause stress for cats and their humans. We keep some kind of scratching post in every room of the house. 

FELIWAY®-Another Secret Weapon for Stress

In addition to these simple tips, FELIWAY® products can further help bring a sense of calm to your furry family and alleviate many stress-related behaviors. We use their products all the time. In the house, in the car, even our vet uses them in her clinic. 

How Does It Work?

Cats communicate through natural messages released in the air called pheromones. These pheromones give them a sense of safety and belonging.

FELIWAY® mimics three naturally occurring feline pheromones, or "messages."

Happy Messages

You've probably seen your cat rub their face against corners, furniture and even you. As they mark their territory, they leave an odorless message called a Feline Facial Pheromone. These happy messages provide comfort and security. 

Harmony Messages

Momma cats communicate with their kittens through natural messages released into the air. These Cat Appeasing Pheromones help to maintain harmony and social bonds between cats of all ages.

Territory Messages

As you might expect, this is how cats communicate with each other. For example, when they scratch an object in their space, they leave both visible (like scratch marks) and invisible Territory Messages that indicate this is mine. 

Pick-Your-Own Giveaway!

We're celebrating De-Stress Your Pet Month with a special GIVEAWAY!

Since we love and use all of their products, we're giving three lucky winners a FELIWAY® product of their choice.

Enter via Rafflecopter to win your choice of any one FELIWAY® product:

• FELIWAY® MultiCat Diffuser
• FELIWAY® Diffuser
• FELIWAY® Spray
• FELISCRATCH by FELIWAY®

Though prizes can only ship to US addresses, we're opening the giveaway up to our readers worldwide so that if anyone outside the US wins, they can gift their prize to a friend or shelter here in the US.

Good luck, everyone...and thanks for entering!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

To learn more, visit www.de-stressyourpet.com. FELIWAY® is available at your veterinary hospital, PetSmart or local pet retailer.

FTC Disclosure: This post and giveaway is sponsored by FELIWAY®, which means that we were paid to create and feature this content. Regardless of the payment received, we only feature products and services we use and/or feel would be relevant to our readers. 

Saturday Night Snow Fever

WAFFLES:  You should be dancing, yeah ♩♬  do-do-do ♩♬  Dancing, yeah! ♩♬ do-do-do

KATIE:  Hey Waffles, how about you go do your dancing on the other side of the kitchen...yeah?  do-do-do ♩♬

People have been complaining about the snow making them a little crazy this time of the year. I guess Waffles is no exception.



Saturday Night Snowbound
We had snowstorm over the weekend here in the mountains, so everyone stayed pretty close to home. Ok, truth be told, Glogirly was binge watching Amazon Prime so the snow really didn't have much to do with whether or not she left the house. Or even changed out of her cat pajamas.

It was a great time to blast some her favorite music too. She will neither confirm or deny that there was any disco-inspired dancing going on.

We're thankful for even a few inches of the white stuff. The spring moisture we can get, the less we'll be at risk of wildfires this summer. So Mother Nature...bring it on!

Wrapping Up Waffles

WAFFLES:  Hey Boss, look what the man in purple shorts brought us today!

KATIE:  Looks like nothing but a big cardboard box, some brown packing paper...and an orange cat.

WAFFLES:  Duh...I didn't come in the big box, Boss. 

KATIE:  Are you sure? It looks about the right size to me. All we need is a little bit of packing tape and an address label. 

WAFFLES:  Whaddya mean, Boss?

 KATIE:  Are you familiar with the phrase, "Return to Sender?"


About Today's Photos

Katie and Waffles aren't sure what arrived in today's delivery. But whatever it was, it came in a nice Waffles-sized box with plenty of packing paper.

Waffles has no idea how lucky he is that Katie doesn't know how to use the packing tape dispenser.

Wednesday Morning Cuppa Waffles

Today's post is inspired by a fan favorite from our #WafflesWednesday Greatest Hits Collection. Although the photos were taken a few years ago in our Minneapolis townhouse, our famous Sleepypods are still with us. And for the record, the white one actually belongs to Katie. (!)

WAFFLES:  Hey Boss, it's Wednesday morning. Have you had your cuppa George yet?

KATIE:  George??? Don't you mean Joe?

WAFFLES:  Joe? Who's Joe?

KATIE:  Cuppa Joe? You know, coffee?

WAFFLES:  Duh. Cats don't drink coffee, Boss. Even YOU know that.

KATIE:  Of course I know that. You're the one that was all Cuppa George, Cuppa George. Which, for the record, makes no sense at all. I'm merely trying to explain that it's Cuppa Joe, not Cuppa George. When referring to coffee, that is.

WAFFLES:  Boss?

KATIE:  Waffles.

WAFFLES:  Maybe you should switch to decaf.

KATIE:  Maybe I should switch to decaf???

...seconds later

About That Last Photo

Sometimes the camera freezes an expression you're just not able to see with the naked eye. There's a split second where the beginning of a yawn or meow can turn a seemingly ordinary cat into–
Well, into Waffles.

He's truly a cat that can go from lazy to maniac in about 4.6 seconds.

Of course in the case of Waffles, this kind of expression is far more common than you might think. He's definitely a cat that can go from lazy to maniac in less than 60 seconds.

Waffles and His Pearly White Update

WAFFLES:  How do I look, Boss? Do you notice anything different? 

KATIE:  You're always different, Waffles.

WAFFLES:  C'mon, Boss. You must notice something.

KATIE:  AI try very hard not to notice you. 

WAFFLES:  It's my TEETH, Boss! See? They're all sparkly.  ...uh, wait a minute. How come everything is upside down? The whole world, Boss! It's upside–

KATIE:  I think that's your pain meds talking, Waffles.

Update on the Orange Boy
Lots of our friends have been checking up on Waffles and asking how he's doing after his big dental day last week. Thank you so much for caring so deeply about him, and Katie too.

He was in a little bit of a funk for just a couple of days. But he's doing great now. He's back to eating his normal meals and following Katie around. He's also been doing a lot of power-cuddling with Glogirly.

Today is his last day on pain medication and he's got just a few more days of antibiotics. In about a week, he'll have to go for another Jeep ride to the vet just to make sure everything is healing like it should.

He's got plenty of girlfriends at the clinic that will be very excited to see him. 

Waffles the Supernumerary Cat

WAFFLES:  Check it out Boss! I'm a SUPERNUMERARY Cat! I think that means I'm super good at math and numbers and stuff. You know, like when I count to elebenty hundred chicken drumsticks.

KATIE:  Supernumerary? Supernumerary has nothing to do with your less than average math skills, Waffles. It means you have double teeth! 

WAFFLES:  Whoa! Double teeth? More teeth must mean more breakfast! Right?

KATIE:  I don't think it works quite like that, Waffles.

Waffles and the Big Dental Surprise

On Wednesday, Waffles went to the vet for a full exam, bloodwork, and a dental cleaning. We've always known Waffles is a unique little guy with a personality larger than life. What we didn't know, and neither did our vet, is that he's more unique than we'd ever imagined.

Waffles had something called Supernumerary Teeth. In simple terms, it means double teeth. Where there should be one tooth, there are instead two side-by-side. It's quite common in dogs, but rare in cats. In fact, our vet has only seen it in one other kitty client.

Apparently, there was a lot of excitement in the surgery suite. Everyone at the clinic wanted to see what was going on. One of the vet techs couldn't wait to show us a photo she took of Waffles' double teeth before they were extracted.



It sounds very special, but unfortunately, it can cause a lot of dental problems. The teeth can be very crowded, and in Waffles' case, the double teeth had become a virtual food and bacteria trap. Both had become decayed and infected. They'd also caused trouble with the tooth in front and in back of them. So despite their specialness, they had to come out.

Here's a diagram showing what all the teeth in a cat's mouth are called and where they're located. Waffles had four extractions: 308 and 308b, the supernumeraries, the 309 Molar, and the 307 Premolar. The entire bone line under those four teeth had become thickened and unhealthy. So after the extractions, it was burred away prior to closing.

And if the supernumerary teeth weren't enough of a surprise, Dr. Fern couldn't believe her eyes when she looked at a radiograph of his upper teeth. 107 and 207, the Premolars circled in red have three roots each, as opposed to two roots. They're totally fine and healthy. But like Waffles, a little unexpected and unique.

A Purr-fect Health Report Card
Our vet said he did great and was very cooperative with the exam and blood work they did before the procedure. His results came back with flying colors. Perfect results, perfect weight, and healthy in every way.

Recovery
Waffles is home and doing great. It was a pretty significant procedure, one requiring a general anesthetic, so he's not quite himself yet. He's on pain medication and an antibiotic for the next few days.

He's been hanging out with Glogirly, cuddling up next to her whenever she sits down. As we're writing this, Katie is even laying next to him on the sofa.

Special Thanks to Uniquely Cats
Special thanks to Uniquely Cats Veterinary Center of Boulder. Our rockstar vet, Dr. Fern, and her wonderful and caring staff are the best. Not only are they experts and on top of their game with the latest and most advanced technology in feline medicine and care, they treat us like family.

Waffles had to stay at the clinic for observation after his procedure. One of the vet techs gave him his own private room to relax in. He had his Sleepypod in there, his food, a litter box, and...she even built him a pillow fort so he'd have a comfy place to rest and hide.

She said she'd peek through the window and see two little ears poking up from behind the fort.

Off to the Vet Part Deux

WAFFLES:  Psssst...Boss! Is the coat clear?

KATIE:  Coat? Don't you mean, is the coast clear?

WAFFLES:  Duh. We live in the mountains, Boss. Not on the coast. 

KATIE:  Fine. So what are you hiding from?

WAFFLES:  Glogirly! She said I have to go to the vet this morning. And this time she said we're not just going to drive there and come right back. She said I have to go INSIDE.

KATIE:  Well, have fun with that, Waffles.

Repeat Performance

Last Wednesday, Glogirly took Waffles on a wild Jeep ride to the vet. She thought his dental appointment was that day. She got her wires crossed and didn't realize the appointment was this Wednesday. Waffles had no idea how lucky he was. Last week, that is.

So they're off again today. But this time, for real.

Sorry, Waffles!